To Capture Her Spirit
by Setalina Muro
Summary: [Hiatus] For his entire existence, the Thief King has sought to kill the Pharaoh. Now, seeking revenge, he kidnaps Kawai Shizuka and falls in love with her, plunging himself into ancient memories about a woman he lost three millennia ago… BxSxK TBxKxPS
1. Prelude

**To Capture Her Spirit**

**By:**

**Setalina Muro**

**Summary:** For his entire existence, the Thief King had sought to kill the Pharaoh. Now, seeking revenge, he kidnaps Kawai Shizuka and falls in love with her, plunging himself into ancient memories about a woman he lost five millennia ago… BxSxK TBxKxPS

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any places, people and/or other things you are familiar with from the show or anything else. The plot, however, is mine.

**Warning: Rating may go up!** Cutting, swearing, and drinking. You have been warned.

**A/N: **Yes, yes. You've seen this before, no? Well, despite the fact that it was originally posted over a year ago (Happy Anniversary, TCHS!), I've decided its time it underwent some redevelopments. The first Five chapter (plus a new prelude, the below) are being replaced and reposted. I promise to do this quickly, but because I've began working on it, I'd rather not rush anything unnecessarily, and I want this to be better than it was originally.

For the previous readers, please don't rush me. I thank you all, and love you dearly, and I am glad that you enjoy my work, but for your sake and my own, I want it to be the best it can be. My hope is that I can make this clearer, more descriptive, and more importantly, grammatically correct.

For the final point, I've initiated a beta reader, to whom I owe many thanks for her constant support and friendship. Much love to you, Storm, now and always!

* * *

**Prelude

* * *

**

A fist slammed into the concrete next to him. His leg twitched with the constant agitation. He was angrier then he had ever been and there was nothing that could keep him from recalling it. The bitter defeat played constantly in his mind.

"_You loose, Bakura! Now I cast you to the Shadows! Be gone, tomb robber, and trouble us no more!" _

_The power emanated from the Nameless Pharaoh. He felt the connection to the body he possessed shatter. He felt himself falling. _

_A voice carried over before the boundary closed. "All right, Yuugi!" There was no mistaking who the voice belonged to. The Pharaoh's loud mouthed friend Jounouchi Katsuya. "Way to send that freak packing!"_

_He struck the dark ground. Silence descended. Bitterness enfolded his heart. In the darkness he sat, eyes blazing. The creatures of the Realm didn't dare approach him. He set all his energies into escaping. It had taken longer this time. The shadows had been thicker, stronger. But finally, he came to the light…_

Now, Bakura, the malevolent spirit of an Ancient Tomb Robber, sat on a street corner in Domino, Japan. Anger coursed through him as he gazed intently at the small group of people inside the corner café. Not merely anger, but indignation as well, and, even though Bakura would never admit it, jealousy. Mouto Yuugi, host of the Pharaoh, sat with his group of misfits talking merrily. Bakura's fist clenched tighter. Why did the Pharaoh deserve to be happy, but not himself?

The Pharaoh had friends who cared deeply for him. The Pharaoh had fans because he gave his host fame in a pathetic game, nothing like its origins. It seemed to Bakura he had admirers in his own group even! At least, she looked at him with such astonished admiration. She sat between him and that more than obnoxious side-kick of his…Kawai Shizuka. She was…pretty. Long strands of fire red hair hung down her shoulders. Those-oh-so-adoring eyes were colored like honey.

A plan was suddenly worming its way into Bakura's thoughts. A plan for revenge planted itself in his ever scheming mind. The devious smile wound itself onto Bakura's face. The Pharaoh and his little friend would pay dearly…

* * *

**To Be Continued…

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**

**A/N: **My apologies for the brevity, but once again, I beg you to be patient. Thanks.

Lina


	2. Chapter One: The Kidnapping

**To Capture Her Spirit**

**By:**

**Setalina Muro**

**Summary:** For his entire existence, the Thief King had sought to kill the Pharaoh. Now, seeking revenge, he kidnaps Kawai Shizuka and falls in love with her, plunging himself into ancient memories about a woman he lost five millennia ago… BxSxK TBxKxPS

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any places, people and/or other things you are familiar with from the show or anything else. The plot, however, is mine.

**Warning: Rating may go up!** Cutting, swearing, and drinking. You have been warned.

**A/N: **Ello, my happy-bubbly friends and readers! No bubbly? Okay, I'm bubbly. Ha. Hope you enjoy this! For my older readers, drop back to the new prelude and enjoy. I'll work quickly, I promise. No long note today, sorry dearies. I'll let you read that instead of my random notes…for now.

* * *

**Chapter One**

**The Kidnapping

* * *

**

Kawai Shizuka was walking down the street. Her arms were wrapped around two paper bags, each bearing the insignia of the corner grocery store. She hummed softly to herself as she treaded the familiar path to her home.

He waited for her around a corner, idly smoking a cigarette. His pale hair flowed passed his shoulders and whipped around in the small breeze. He listened intently, and when the soft sound of footsteps came to him, he moved away from the wall, casting the unfinished cigarette to the ground and crushing it with his shoe.

She came around the corner, a small gasp of surprise issuing from her throat as she started back. The groceries slipped from her grasp and tumbled toward the ground.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed, bowing. "I am so sorry!" she then fell to the ground, gathering the tumbled items.

"No, pardon me, Shizuka-chan!" Bakura said, bringing the soft, high timbered voice of his host to the surface. He knelt next to her.

Shizuka looked puzzled for a moment. "Bakura-kun? Oh! Bakura-kun! I didn't see you! I'm sorry!"

"Not to worry," Bakura said, helping her scoop the food into the paper bag again. "Let me take those."

She handed them to him gratefully. "Thank you, Bakura-san." But her eyes widened as he deposited them into a nearby trash receptacle. "Hey!"

He turned, brows arched comically. "Yes?"

Shizuka took a step back, her eyes widening, but Bakura was quick. He instantly had a tight grip on her upper arm. She jerked, crying out. "Ouch! Bakura! Stop it, you're hurting me!"

A demented grin slowly spread over his face, twisting many of his fine features with the deep malice it portrayed. "It's a pity, isn't it?" he whispered, his voice venomously low. He pulled her around, her back into his chest and with one arm constricted her.

Her eyes were watering now, brimming with crystalline tears. Pain and fear flooded her, bringing more forth as several spilled down her cheeks. "Please," she begged. "Please let me go."

With his free hand, Bakura fished into his back pocket, withdrawing a single Duel Monsters card, but something was strange about it. The surface was black and seemed almost like a mirror. The cream-colored bottom bore no statistics declaring it monster, spell, or trap as the typical card of the game might.

"Do you know what this is, my dear?" Bakura hissed into her ear, holding the card in front of her face.

Her eyes remained wide and scared. "N-no," she managed to choke out.

"Ah," he said. "This card will house your soul." He began to murmur, his voice dropping as he began a cryptic language. Shizuka felt something burn into her lower back.

She cried out and Bakura, in agitation, pushed her against the nearby, crimson-bricked wall. Her eyes were wide; tear stains dotted her face. Her orbs focused on a golden ring suspended from Bakura's neck by a thick brown cord. It was a perfect circle, hollow save for a triangle shape in the center. Within the isosceles, there lay an eye. Five pointed spikes hung from the outside.

Now, it glowed with an eerie light that gathered strength, flashing like a beacon. Shizuka squeezed her eyes shut tightly, but still the light penetrated. She felt herself slipping away…

Bakura caught her as her body slipped to the side. He gathered her into his arms, carrying her like a bride, his arm wrapped behind her shoulders and under her knees. He picked up the faint scent of lilies from her hair.

_--'They're marvelous…I did not believe such beautiful flowers grew in the desert sands.'_

'_Of course they do. I'll find you many more, if that is what you wish, my dear.'_

'_You would? Oh, Bakura! You'd never understand my gratitude!'—_

He flinched suddenly, a small pain coming to his eyes, but it vanished almost immediately. The scarlet eyes returned to a cold contour.

He stood a moment longer, the thoughts washing over him, before he smiled softly down at the prostrate form of his prize. Then his eyes fixed on a point ahead of him. The Ring glowed faintly and a vortex began to swirl from the mists. The shimmering darkness seemed to dance for a moment, and Bakura admired it. The darkness had always been a favorite of his. Without another second of hesitation, he plunged into it, the Ring for protection and his own malice to fuel it…

* * *

The deep void of the vortex opened and the silent figure stepped out. Bakura cast his crimson eyes around the dim space, a warehouse of sorts, made of shining metal. It was far from plain, containing several different elements. There were two makeshift walls on opposite sides of the room. They would serve as sleeping quarters. In between, strangely enough, there was a linoleum floor and kitchen setting. A fridge, sink, counter, and dishwater were pushed against the war wall atop the flooring. Opposite the 'kitchen', there were three couches arranged on a fringed rug, the edges duck taped. These faced a set of large bay windows, their view set upon endless sands. It was almost homey.

Moving silently to one of the bedrooms, Bakura carried his prize to a bed pushed against the wall. The sheets were the color of cream, overlaid by a smooth brown blanket. He pulled them back and lay the stationary body down.

Quietly still, as if fearing to wake the dead, Bakura made his way to the cold box, extracting a beer. The label was worn from the brown bottle and it was cold in his hand as he forced the cap off. He took a sip, the cool liquid with a bitter, alien taste, drenching his tongue and throat.

He returned to Shizuka's side. Looking down at her, he felt a sudden chill. He watched her carefully. She barely seemed to breathe as she lay motionless on the bed, and Bakura narrowed his eyes slightly.

How strange it was. She looked so eerily peaceful; a sleeping beauty. He sat down on the edge of the bed, hardly aware of his actions. The alcohol found its way onto the mahogany nightstand next to the bed. His hand lay on her cheek.

It was slow, unintentional even, but he slowly bent down, his lips brushing her own softly. For a moment, it didn't register with him, but when it did his eyes snapped open and he pulled back, stumbling off the bed and away from her.

There was…shock.

"Marvelous, Prince Charming," he hissed, slowly advancing again. But he grabbed his drink instead, watching her as pale slits of moonlight struck her face. His hand moved to his pocket, pulling a card from it. He held it in his hand, staring at a picture of the girl on the bed. She was etched there perfectly, every detail in place, from her hands clasped in front of her pleadingly to the honey-colored eyes, large and brimming with tears.

"Time to wake up, Little Princess," he whispered. Taking a breath, he cast his breath across the surface of the card. Gold, dust-like substance floated into the air and drifted down to Shizuka's form, disappearing instantly when it touched her. With the picture gone, there was left only a velvety darkness on the card's face. She turned in her sleep, a soft sigh escaping her lips. Bakura smiled, almost maniacally, yet his eyes softened. Now he was left with the question of what he would do when she woke up…

* * *

The moon was slinking down over the horizon when Kawai Shizuka regained consciousness. She moaned before sitting up, delicately touching the temples of her forehead, rubbing them to sooth the dull throb.

After a few moments, she opened her eyes, casting a dubious glance at her surroundings. Nothing gave her any clue as to where she was or what had happened to her. With the aid of the pale starlight, she saw the vague outline of a couch and windows. It seemed she was inside a large house.

Delicately, she stepped off the bed, moving toward the opening in the makeshift wall. Shizuka peered out, seeing more walls on the far side of the room. Light glinted from appliances between them. Her brow furrowed with confusion. A kitchen?

She started back suddenly as she caught some movement from the corner of her eye. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stumbled back to the bed. A shadow cut across the opening of the door. Shizuka's breath hitched, her eyes locked on the figure as it leaned casually against the door. The faint shimmering sound of metal jangling against metal came to Shizuka followed by a soft, sinister laugh and the lights flashed on.

Shizuka's hands flashed to cover her eyes from the glare and the laugher flared again. Footsteps came toward her as she attempted to rub the stars from her eyes. Two hands grasped her wrists and pulled her palms to her sides. Blinking from the harsh, fluorescent light, Shizuka saw the details of the man holding her swim into view.

Pale, silvery hair; cruel crimson eyes; and gold that glinted with an evil all its own. There was no doubt, if there had been any to begin with, when the cat-like grin fixed itself on his face, and the deep, maniacal voice came from behind it.

"Good morning, my dear."

Shizuka screamed. A hair-curling shriek rising from her throat ask she flailed, pulling her wrists back and managing somewhere in the wild, jerky movements and the floundering limbs to make contact with Bakura's gut.

He grunted as he stumbled backwards, arm wrapped around his stomach as he gasped for lost breath.

Meanwhile, Shizuka had receded as far away from him as she could get, curling against the bed frame and drawing her knees up to her chest. Tears sprang to her eyes as she cautiously glanced up at Bakura.

He glared at her angrily from the other side of the provisional room, cursing under his breath. He straightened up, moving back toward her, setting himself at the end of her bed.

"Hope you had fun with that," he said, the anger in his voice dissipating. "It won't be happening again."

"Why are you doing this?" she asked softly. "I never did anything to you!"

Bakura's brow arched slightly. "It's not because you did something, little Shizuka-chan."

"Then why?" she demanded, sitting up on her knees and glaring at him. "What can you gain from this?"

A pondering look fell over Bakura's face. Then he said, "It's not what I've gained, but what they've lost."

Shizuka blinked. "You aren't Bakura-san, are you?"

"I am," he answered. "And I am not." He paused. "I don't plan to hurt you, Shizuka-chan." He reached out and ran his hand down her face.

She glared at him coldly, unable to jerk away as he pet her. "L-liar!" she chocked out, her body shuddering.

Bakura moved closer to her at the end of the bed, leaning to whisper in her ear. "Perhaps..." He kissed her neck, his hand slipping to her side, caressing it. "Perhaps not…"

His kisses trailed down her throat, measuring her increasing heartbeat. Her eyes widened and she tensed, her stomach gnawing at her in an unfamiliar fashion. He pulled her closer, his lips leaving her throat to her hers.

Shizuka's mind fought desperately to make sense of the situation, but Bakura's actions were numbing and confusing. Shizuka's eyes closed slightly as a shiver swept through her again, almost begging her to give into his touch.

His hand slid under her shirt, groping its way over her bare flesh. It was cold, so deathly cold! But it was enough, pulling Shizuka from her stupor. She didn't want to do this. Especially not with _him._

She pulled back, away from him. "Stop it!" she choked out in a breathless whisper. "Please! Stop! Leave me alone!"

Bakura seemed to snap out of a trance of his own. He backed away, ashamed at his loss of control as he slowly stepped toward the door, his dark eyes still on Shizuka. He watched her as she took a shuddering breath and released it, sighing in relief. Then she burst into tears, and Bakura turned sharply on his heel and dashed away...

* * *

The passion itself was still bittersweet in his mind. Just the way she had tasted: a salted strawberry or an apple grown by the shore. His tongue ran over his lips nervously. They still tasted like her.

His hands shook slightly as he brought a cigarette to his mouth and lit it, breathing deep. He looked at his free hand, marveling at how soft her pale, creamy skin had felt. He had felt her pulse increase with his own. It did now, but something ate silently at his heart.

He looked out over the sea of dirt and the moonless sky covering Egypt. He cast the cigarette aside, watching as the dully-lit butt vanished into the night.

His original intention was forgotten. All he knew was that Shizuka was there now, sitting inside. All her innocence, her gentle eyes, carefully veiled anger…

"Screw revenge," he said aloud. "Shizuka is mine now, and I won't ever let her go."

Bakura sat down in the sand, tracing his fingers through it. "I'll do everything within my power to make her happy," he vowed, speaking to the whispering wind. "No matter what the cost. And in time, she'll come to love me more than you ever did…" He sat for a few minutes longer, making random patterns in the loose dirt.

He stood up, moving from the spot, not seeing the wind sweep away what he had unknowingly written.

_--The maiden will come sooner than the dragon…--

* * *

_

**To Be Continued…

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**

**A/N:** Thank you for reading. I hope everyone is enjoying this new version. I like it better. I feel like I've organized my thoughts much better now that I know where I'm going with this.

And I'd rant and tell you all that I had a wonderful first date last Saturday, but I'm sure you don't care. Not to worry. All smiles on this end!

Signing off now,

Lina


	3. Chapter Two : The Shattering Glass

**To Capture Her Spirit**

**By:**

**Setalina Muro**

**Summary:** For his entire existence, the Thief King had sought to kill the Pharaoh. Now, seeking revenge, he kidnaps Kawai Shizuka and falls in love with her, plunging himself into ancient memories about a woman he lost three millennia ago… BxSxK TBxKxPS

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any places, people and/or other things you are familiar with from the show or anything else. The plot, however, is mine.

**Warning: Rating may go up!** Cutting, swearing, and drinking. You have been warned.

**A/N: **Well, well. It seems it has been ages since I've updated this. And yes, I know that it shouldn't be that difficult to rewrite a story (and it's not honestly) I just haven't had the time to work on this. Well, now I have and I finished it in one night, not only rewriting it, but coming up with a much better idea for chapter five. And since I'm out of school now, my updates will become more frequent and I can only hope to have the first ten chapters back up by the end of the summer vacation.

Okay, so now I have to laugh. I think this is about the third time that this has happened. I send this off to my beta and as I get ready to put it up, I get new reviews asking me to update soon! Well, I think it's funny. Thank you all.

At any rate, do enjoy this update. Here's hoping the next one will be soon.

By the way, this would have been sooner but the document uploader was not cooperating with me. Stupid...

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**The Shattering Glass

* * *

**

Kawai Shizuka sat atop the bed, shivering with the cold and eerie quiet that surrounded the now empty room. Another shudder passed over her body as she stared out into the darkness. Her skin was still warm and crawling from where he had touched her. It was just…bizarre.

She tried to reason with herself. Honda and Otoji were fawning over her all time, but they had never laid a hand on her. Her brother had made certain of that. Her legs were tucked against her chest and she hugged them tightly. She felt…violated. One miracle she was glad for was that Bakura (it was Bakura, wasn't it?) had restrained himself, but…

He had kidnapped her. Actually stolen her off the street, forced her into unconsciousness, and brought her to this unknown place. Why, why would Bakura do that? Her eyes slowly filled with tears. This was not the Bakura Ryou she knew. No, it couldn't be. That Bakura was sweet and kind and frail and would never have the heart to take anyone somewhere they didn't want to go.

Why had he changed so much? What had happened…?

The more she contemplated it, the more she knew this could not be Ryou, and suddenly something drifted back to her, a conversation she had heard a long time ago.

_-'So, wait. Let me get this straight. The Sennen Ring has a spirit in it like Mou Hitori no Yuugi?" _

"_It does, but one more vile and bent on destruction, nothing like your Mou Hitori no Boku. He takes control whenever it should please him, and I…go away." _

"_Where does he send you?"_

"…_I've never known. All I know is it's just so…dark…"-_

Shizuka hadn't understood the words at the time. She had heard them by complete accident, and never looked much into it. Even now, they confused her.

She lay down on the bed and curled into a small ball, praying that somehow this had all just been a nightmare. She drifted off before Bakura returned...

* * *

It was through yet another black vortex the holder of the Sennen Ring entered the room. His captive lay asleep and as he walked from the confines of the swirling mists, she turned and sighed softly, exhaling in a mumble unintelligible words.

He slowly glided over to the bed, his footsteps soft on the concrete floor. Shizuka was shivering. Bakura looked around. It was a cool night on the Egyptian sand. The blanket still lay on the bed near Shizuka's feet, and he carefully draped it over her body. He stepped back, his eyes resting on her.

Bakura didn't know how long he stood there and watched her as she lay sleeping. Nothing startled him until the girl turned in her slumber and a soft cry escaped her beautiful lips.

"Onii-chan," she whispered. "It's black…Onii-chan, its all black." Shizuka thrashed violently to the left, the sheets tangling around her legs. "Help!" Suddenly she thrust herself up into a sitting position, her breathing ragged and a cold sweat beading her body.

Her eyes opened slowly and she looked around, every fiber of her being expecting and hoping for the room that surrounded her to be her own. Katsuya should be knocking on the door now she realized. But the surroundings were unfamiliar and dark. A square doorway of light stood on the other end of the room, a tall dresser next to it. The hopelessness of the situation flared suddenly before her and she bit her lip as tears pricked at her eyes. She wasn't home and Katsuya would not be coming to check on her. It was dark, and the cold, unfamiliar room gave no comfort.

"What grieves you, precious?"

Shizuka was startled at the voice, clutching the cream-colored sheets to her chest. Her eyes fell upon the figure of Bakura across the makeshift bedroom, leaning coolly against the door frame. His eyebrows arched and he ginned smugly as he watched her.

Animosity emanated from her in a sudden burst and heated glare, but it vanished as she buried her head in her hands and began to sob.

Bakura started forward for a moment, as if to comfort her, before catching himself in the foolish action. Weakness was something he refused to show and he settled back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'll never see him again!" she called out between bitter sobs. "Why don't you just kill me now?"

He laughed softly. "I have no reason to do that, Shizuka-chan. Women are far too useful alive. If you're good enough I may let you go…" his eyes glinted lustfully and Shizuka started at his tone, her gaze hardening as the crystalline tears glimmered on her cheeks.

"I'm not sleeping with you, if that's what you want," she spat at him coldly. Disdain traced every inch of her hardened features.

He fell back, clutching his chest sarcastically as if her words had mortally wounded his heart. "How could you think such a thing?" he replied in the mockery of a hurt tone. Standing upright a moment later, he grinned slyly. "I do, however, have another proposition for you."

Shizuka's eyes narrowed. The few hours she had been around the spirit of the possessed youth, she knew there was no way to trust him. He kidnapped her, he lusted after her, and during the brief moments he had kissed her in, she tasted the alcohol. No, not to be trusted, but still she said, "I'm listening." Anything to get her out of this place; anything to get her away from him. Well…almost anything.

"I propose," he declared with great sarcastic relish. "A contest."

The young girl arched an eyebrow. "That's it?"

"Well…" he paused, slightly put out. "Yes."

Shizuka almost laughed. "No specification? No rules? No anything?"

She was mocking him now, he could feel it. Mockery when he was the one being ridiculed was not something he tolerated. His eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Why?" he hissed. "Have something in mind? I doubt you could beat me in a Yami no Game, if that's what you're thinking." **(Au1)**

"Hardly," she replied evenly. "I don't duel, Bakura-san."

"A drinking contest then?" he offered, smirking.

"Never."

"And let me guess, you're a virgin?"

She was taken aback by the question. "Excuse me, that's hardly any of your business."

He began to laugh, feeling himself taking control again. The girl was withering; what little fiery courage she had was nearly expended. "That's far from what I meant. You're unfamiliar with drinking terms, I take it? That surprises me considering the way your father is. I hear problems like that are genetic. I'm shocked dear big brother isn't a slobbering drunk bum in the streets right now."

"Stop it!" she screamed suddenly. "Go away! I'll get out by myself! I don't need your stupid contests and I don't need you! Just leave me alone!"

"And how exactly do you plan on leaving here?" he asked, laughing darkly. "The only way in or out is through me." His manic noise continued as he swiped his hand across the air as if cutting through a vine with a sword. The Ring around his chest, the one that had burned so intensely the first moment she lost consciousness, glowed again now and a black void of swirling clouds erupted beside him.

Shizuka stared into it, motionless. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly agape as she watched it dance against the remaining night, and fear flooded her. It was the darkness from her dream, the darkness none fought to save her from. She began to shake violently as she forced herself to look away from it, tears pricking her honey-colored orbs. Obviously it frightened her.

It was fear Bakura fed his malice on, the very same fear she emanated, but somehow it was different coming from her. There was less malevolent joy; less satisfaction. His hand clasped by his side and the glow from the Ring subsided as the portal faded away until nothing was left of either anomaly.

"There lies your exit," he mocked. "Through the very shadows you fear to tread, and I alone can navigate them."

Her shivering did not subside and even as she stared at her hands prostate on the bed sheets she failed to blink. Tears pooled in her eyes but did not fall. Bakura's smirk vanished and his eyes narrowed questioningly. "Shizuka?"

She looked up, blinking suddenly and Bakura watched two perfect tear drops race down her face.

"Are…are you hungry, Shizuka-chan," he asked softly.

After a moment of hesitation, she nodded and whispered a defeated "Yes" softly before turning away from him.

"I won't force you through the portal," he said. "You can trust me in that if you will trust nothing else." Bakura swept his arms around the room. "All this is for you. You can look through anything you like save for the far bedroom which is mine. Anything you want, I can get for you. There is food in the kitchen." Nodding he head to her, he retreated out of the doorway and across the house. He reached the far bedroom and accessed another portal abandoning the girl to her own devices for a cigarette and some solitude.

When she was certain he was gone, Shizuka crawled cautiously off the bed and lit a candle, plunging into the rest of her new 'home' in search of something to eat.

* * *

Bakura was outside sitting against the building. He exhaled a circle of smoke, watching the round haze dissipate in the soft Egyptian breeze. Moment later, he flicked the spent cigarette into the endless sands. It was his third in the past half hour. What the _hell_ was wrong with him?

He told himself he was going soft. Every fiber of his being spelled out how simple it would be if he were to merely remove her soul. Her defiance would flee, her body would sit, a vacant, easily taken shell he could have his way with, but damn it all to hell! He didn't want that! He wanted…well, what did he want? A lover, a companion, someone who would come to him willingly if he should call. He wanted-

A shrill shriek echoed in his ear accompanied by the shattering of several glass items. Bakura sighed as he stood up, wondering what in the world the girl had gotten in to. He returned inside and came out of his bedroom merely to find Shizuka kneeling on the floor. She was attempting to collect the glittering pieces of glass that lay among a concoction of mixed alcohols. It was evident the glass was leaving gashes across her palms where alcohol seeped in as she stifled another cry.

He walked behind her and watched as she frantically moved to finish, grinding her teeth. The smell from the drink was becoming intoxicating, and after another sharp exclamation by the auburn haired girl, he cleared his throat. She leapt to her feet in a panic, crashing into him in her haste to flee and stumbling backwards. He caught her shoulders and guided her away from the glass.

She was staring at him, eyes wide, as she began to sputter excuses until he laid two fingers over her lips, shushing her gently. He turned her hands over, examining the gashes as they bled freely.

"Go sit on the couch."

Without question, she obeyed and the next moment he was in front of her with a brightly colored medical kit. He looked at her hands again and stood up, retrieving a large silver basin and pitcher filled with water.

Bakura proceeded to wash the blood from Shizuka's hand with a tenderness that surprised her. The water that had run over her hands into the basin was now pink and several pieces of glass that had been loosely attached glimmered in the bottom. He carefully roamed her hands for more glass with a set of tweezers from the medical kit, removing each pieces slowly as Shizuka hissed with the sharp pain. With that finished, he rinsed her hands again, the palms now crisscrossed with multitudes of detached skin. The disinfectant spray stung as Bakura sprayed it, following up by bandaging them with white cloth and gauzes.

"There," he said, holding her hands between his own for an extra moment when he had finished before standing up. "They should be fine now. Try not to be so foolish in the future." He turned and walked away.

"…Bakura?"

Her soft voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Yes?" he inquired, turning to her.

She took a deep breath and met his eyes, smiling softly as she acknowledged the change that had overtaken him. "Thank you, Bakura-san."

The sun was rising on a truly glorious day.

The first genuine, non-malicious smile in almost three thousand years reached Bakura's solemn mouth, and somehow he knew it wouldn't be the last…

* * *

**To Be Continued…

* * *

**

**Au 1: **Translation: Game of Darkness AKA Shadow Game.

* * *

**A/N:** And there you have it my dears. A special thanks to my beta, Storm Dewleaf. To everyone else, please R&R.

Cheers!

Lina


	4. Chapter Three: The Cut Runs Deep

**To Capture Her Spirit**

**By:**

**Setalina Muro**

**Summary:** For his entire existence, the Thief King had sought to kill the Pharaoh. Now, seeking revenge, he kidnaps Kawai Shizuka and falls in love with her, plunging himself into ancient memories about a woman he lost three millennia ago… BxSxK TBxKxPS

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any places, people and/or other things you are familiar with from the show or anything else. The plot, however, is mine.

**Warning:** Cutting, swearing, and drinking. You have been warned.

**A/N: **So, this should have been up weeks ago, but my mother had limited me to computer time once a week, unless I beg. (Dies)

At any rate, I'm working on the next chapter. Of everything. (Sigh) There's a lot I'm working on, but still, no time to type. Not a long note here.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**The Cut Runs Deep

* * *

**

The warm tune of a song drifted around the empty warehouse occasionally accompanied by the faint sound of pages turning. A chortle of laughter would sometimes join the soft murmur of the voice as it read aloud.

Bakura's voice had an ethereal quality to it when he read and Shizuka enjoyed listening to it. She sat with her legs tucked up beneath her on the couch, occasionally glancing up from the soft pastels of the drawing on her lap. Leaning casually on the floor, enveloped in a large blue bean bag chair, sat Bakura, his fingers curled around the edges of a book from which he read.

"'_Look here,' whined the woman, 'I ain't selling him. Not for no shilling, like the lady offered.'_

_I looked pleadingly at the young man, who smiled as he dismounted and said: 'Here's two shillings for the dog.'_

_The woman could not hide her delight. She held out a dirty hand for the money which, with a fastidious gesture, he dropped into her palm. Then he took the rope from her. _

'_Thank you, oh, thank you,' I cried. I was drawn toward him because I knew he cared as much about the dog's fate as I did. I was torn between two desires: I wanted to learn more about the young man, and at the same time I wanted to take the dog home and feed him…"_ **(Au1)**

With that, Bakura paused, rubbing his eyes. He looked as if a headache was forming, something that happened often if he read for too long. He finished the paragraph and moved to stand up, stretching broadly as he did so. "I guess that's enough for now. My head is starting to hurt."

Shizuka smiled, finishing one stroke on her drawing and closing the tablet. "I'm done, too. It's a good story, Bakura-san."

He nodded and absently walked off, setting the book down and moving away. After a moment, Bakura paused and looked back at her.

"What are you always drawing while I read?" he asked.

"What I see," she answered, running her fingers gently against the edges of the book.

He shook his head as he turned again, moving toward his room. "Whatever."

It was one of the things he had grown used to over the time she had been there with him. She smiled and laughed and yet she remained completely distant. He knew she liked to hear him read and he knew she enjoyed painting, but he also knew she was far from happy. He looked back at her as she sat on the couch, staring at the window. The light glimmered in her hair and her terribly sad eyes. Sighing, he entered his room.

Shizuka watched carefully from the corner of her eye as Bakura left before she stood up and moved toward her own room. She resented everything about this place, especially the year and a half she was forced to be there for. He tried to make her happy, he really did, sometimes going out of his way to do so.

But she was bored; bored with Bakura, with missing her brother and friends. Bored with knowing she was a prisoner here, even though he no longer treated her as such. She was tired and she was going to escape.

For some reason, it didn't matter how much Bakura had changed, for he had. There were no more advances, no mention of his lust, a cutback in alcohol even. There were times when Shizuka felt kindly toward him, something more than tolerance, but he was always watching her; his crimson-brown orbs constantly focused on her. She had to leave. She had to get away, though a way how to frequently elude her. Most of all, she had to start planning now.

Bakura was in his room, or at least that was the direction he had headed. There were times when he went into his room, the doorway covered by a tapestry, and Shizuka didn't see him for several hours. Whether he sat there or left, she never knew and there was now necessity she find out. **(Au2)**

Shizuka crept from her room, silently moving across the floor. The 'living quarter' was empty as was the kitchen. Reaching the drapery across the doorframe, she held her breath and pushed it to the side, peering in cautiously.

Bakura was there.

She pulled back, praying desperately that he had not seen her and that he could not hear the rapid pounding of her heart. No one came and the room was quiet. She chanced another glance.

He was sitting cross-legged on the cold floor, a straw mat beneath him. His eyes were closed and his hands rested on his knees.

It struck Shizuka as some bizarre ritual. She took in the candles surrounding him as well as the closed redwood box at his feet. Tendrils of silver smoke danced around his motionless form.

Shizuka was awed as her eyes drifted from the setup to Bakura himself. He wore no shirt and his lean body looked both strong and starved, for he was not well muscled and his ribs were easily identified. Her eyes drifted to a scar marring the otherwise attractive body across the left side of his chest.

It was then she took note of the Sennen Ring in his hands. It glimmered, whether from the light of the candles or a device of its own, Shizuka didn't know or cared to ponder, and the harsh glare danced evilly as if pleased with the practice.

She flinched back as his eyes opened, but the dark orbs were unfocused and distant. He laid the Ring aside and reached for the box. His hands groped and caressed the lid as though he were blind. He stared straight ahead, not blinking and barely breathing.

Only when the hinges of the box creaked open did Bakura look down. Still no sign of concisions came from him and from the box he brought forth a glistening silver dagger. It looked ancient, the handle made of a darkly shaded wood traced with intricate designs and words. The blade, edges wavy as it moved up to the tip, glinted dangerously in the candlelight, but the tip was dark and as Bakura held it over a flame, Shizuka realized it was covered in blood. **(Au3)**

Her knees gave way below her and she sank to the ground, clutching the edge of the door frame. The ritual, whatever the purpose now frightened her.

When the blood had collected amongst trails of white wax, Bakura pulled it away, the blade now emanating heat from the flame. Shizuka's eyes widened as he directed the tip toward himself. It hovered across the left side of his chest, straight for his heart. A dry sob came from her throat and she covered her mouth quickly, eyes brimming with tears.

The destination of the dagger, however, was not to pierce his heart. Instead, it found its way to the first point of the fading scar and he began to retrace it, constantly reheating the blade and forcing it through the rough skin until it bled anew.

Soon, it was finished. Crimson blood dripped down his front as Bakura stood and moved toward the mirror on the wall. A tremor of pain shot through him as he began to wipe it off. The trance, if his stupor could be called such, was broken, and the pain returned life to his crimson brown orbs. Full consciousness came a moment later and his brow furrowed as he looked toward the entrance. The knowledge of another presence was gone, vanished like a breath of wind.

Bakura turned back to the mirror, examining his handiwork, still oozing plasma. Perhaps it was superstitious nonsense, but in the time Bakura had grown up in, blood was always needed to finish a magical ritual properly. This particular act had once been vaguely mentioned by his grandmother when he was very young and he had retained it somehow and it surfaced a few months after Shizuka's arrival. It was not a spell, to a certain extent, but more so a wish for the wellbeing of unrequited love.

The ancient hieroglyphics were carved deeply into his pale skin. It was a single word surrounded by an intricate scrolling repeated several times. If the wish brought him nothing, at least there would always be something that tethered him to his time with her. How easily the word came from the symbols, dancing in his mind like wildfire.

_Shizuka…_

For a year and a half, he had maintained control of this body while she lingered there, allowing herself to enjoy nothing. The wish had been traced twice in this time as it began to fade. The first time he began to mar the skin, it occurred to him it was not truly his to mar, but there was no Pharaoh to cast him into the darkness again and the true possessor of the body, well…Bakura had found a more permanent darkness for his whining counterpart.

An escher had formed around the ring of intricate designs and Bakura pulled on a white cotton shirt, ignoring the spasm coming off the wound, before holding aside the tapestry and inspecting the area. His eyes scanned for Shizuka. She wasn't in the kitchen, cooking as she normally would be at this time. Instead she was in much the same position as he had left her in several hours ago: sitting on the couch gazing out the large windows. Her arms were wrapped around a bright green pillow and her eyes were wide and seemingly blank. She gnawed absently at her thumbnail.**(Au4)**

She started as he sat down beside her and touched her arm. Her gaze met his tentatively and the fearful, doe-eyes look there sent a small shiver down Bakura's spine. She had not looked like that since the night he had brought her here. Her face was pale and a red tinge hovered about her cheeks and puffy, watery eyes. She quivered as he swept back a strand of her auburn hair. "You've been crying," he said.

Shizuka pulled away from him, turning to wipe at her face with the back of her hand. "It's nothing," she whispered.

Bakura ran a finger under her chin and gently forced her gaze up to meet his own.

"You're lying to me," he stated bluntly. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, desperately avoiding his gaze, not trusting her eyes to not give her away. The honey brown orbs fell instead on his shirt, trailing across where she knew the cut to be. Bakura watched as her face paled further, optics widening as a faint green tinge crossed her face. A moment later, Shizuka collapsed against him.

Bakura looked down, attempting to find the source of her sudden ailment, when he caught sight of the blood slowly filtering through the fabric of his shirt. "Hellfire and damnation," he hissed, laying Shizuka across the couch as he stood up.

He went quickly to his room, peeling off the stained shirt as he went. Grabbing for white gauze, he began to bandage the cut. It was bleeding more freely now, the scab torn away, and Bakura's brow furrowed slightly. He had never needed to bind the laceration before. It clotted within a few minutes of the initial carving. Perhaps there was a problem…

No, and it didn't matter anyway. But Bakura was hungry and with Shizuka still unconscious, there was hardly a better time for him to try his hand at cooking.

* * *

**To Be Continued…

* * *

**

**Au 1:** Small bit from a Reader's Digest Condensed Book I found at my grandmother's house. The selection is from 'Kirkland Revels' by Victoria Holt. A very good story.

**Au 2:** For those of you caught this story its original form, this particular scene was difficult to recreate. It sounds more logical now, I think. Please tell me.

**Au 3: **I will make a short reference here because it is driving me insane. The blade I mention is like the one in the Disney movie 'Aladdin', when Aladdin is dangling over the Cave of Wonders and Jafar is ready to stab him before Abu bites him. I say this, because I can't find nor figure out what a wavy-edged blade is called, and I want you to know what it supposed to look like.

**Au 4:** The word in this sentence, gnawed, almost ended up as 'masticate', meaning 'to chew'. Some friends and I were discussing disgusting words (such as 'goop' and 'cream') and one jumped up with masticate and we're like '…' then he was like 'it means chew' and we're like 'oh…that's gross. You win.' But it sounded out of place here. But it was a fun note.

* * *

**A/N: M'**kay. I do hope everyone enjoyed this. Sorry I didn't get it up sooner (my beta has mysteriously disappeared from her online slot, so I actually had to edit this…myself…XD…I don't do that often, so I hope this worked out okay.) As always, please **R&R** and feel free to tell me what you thought. 

Lina


	5. Chapter Four: The Mess Behind

**To Capture Her Spirit**

**By:**

**Setalina Muro**

**Summary:** For his entire existence, the Thief King had sought to kill the Pharaoh. Now, seeking revenge, he kidnaps Kawai Shizuka and falls in love with her, plunging himself into ancient memories about a woman he lost three millennia ago… BxSxK TBxKxPS

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any places, people and/or other things you are familiar with from the show or anything else. The plot, however, is mine.

**Warning:** Cutting, swearing, and drinking. You have been warned.

**A/N: **This update comes because its short and I was given time to type tonight, miraculously. I won't leave you with a long note for all our sakes. Please enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**The Mess Behind

* * *

**

From outside, the apartment seemed deserted. Dusty blind were drawn against the bright sun and the plants perched on the railing were dry and cracking, leaves snapping from their stems with the prompting of the soft wind the group created as they moved passed. Hesitantly, one of the four touched the small round doorbell beside the wooden frame and when no chime came back at them, he rapt softly on the door itself. Still, there came no response and slowly, the door creaked open.

"Jounouchi-kun?" The knocker, a young man named Mouto Yuugi, whispered. He peered in the door cautiously, his spiked hair leaving a shadow across the far wall.

The light from the doorway cast a glare into the pitch-black room, lighting up a most disagreeable looking living room and a motionless figure lying on the couch. Yuugi stepped through the door, sighing as he did so. Carefully, he crossed the room and yanked on the draw strings, the blind disappearing as sunlight suddenly flooded the room.

There was a small gasp as several others entered the apartment. The floor was revealed now, covered in clothing and garbage and with the burst of light, the figure on the couch groaned and rolled over.

"Hey, Jounouchi-kun," one, a brunette female (the only among the group), offered. Her voice held an optimistic tone to it, and gently she touched Jou's arm. The blonde on the couch, Jounouchi Katsuya, grunted again and rolled away from the contact, a dull 'thunk' accompanying his movement as something rolled off the couch.

Mazaki Anzu sighed heavily, her blue eyes brimming with tears. She too had been deeply affected by Shizuka's disappearance. They were just becoming good friends. Now, Anzu spent her nights as Jounouchi spent his life: mourning.

She turned to the comfort of the young man standing behind her, sobbing softly into his chest. Honda Hiroto patted her head sympathetically as his gaze swept the surroundings. It was bad here, very bad. But, he reasoned, Jounouchi had rented the apartment for both him and his little sister and they had cleaned it together (Shizuka had been the only one that could get Jou to clean anything at all, really). Now he was alone and there really wasn't much incentive for him to do it.

The final member of the four-person party, an obsidian haired youth with sharp green eyes, moved past them and stood beside Jounouchi, scanning the floor. He crinkled his nose.

"Wonder when the last time he bathed was," he muttered offhandedly, and Honda scowled at him.

"Shut up, Otogi," he hissed.

The creator of Dungeon Dice Monsters grinned sheepishly and cast his gaze to the floor, kicking through the miscellaneous objects. Suddenly, he stopped as something caught his attention and he leaned down to pick it up.

"Uh, hey guys?"

They turned to him, eyes widening slightly as they saw the dark brown bottle he held disdainfully between two fingers. Yuugi looked away and Anzu's azure eyes filled with tear again. It had been a dark, fleeting suspicion, but not one they had actually contemplated being true. Jounouchi…drinking?

"We have to do something," Anzu said.

Yuugi sighed, shaking his head. "What can we do, Anzu-chan? Except try and find Shizuka…" He shook his head, again, unable to dislodge the feeling this had been his fault somehow.

'_Aibou…'_ The voice resonated softly, the accusing tone scolding him. Yuugi fell back into his mind and turned to see a figure of identical likeness to himself. The eyes of the other, a deep crimson, narrowed slightly at him, examining him calculatingly.

"_Yes?"_

'_Are you blaming yourself for Shizuka's disappearance again?'_

"_I'm sorry, Mou Hitori no Boku. I cannot help but feel somewhat responsible." _**(Au1)**

'_It is not your fault,'_ the other Yuugi said, gently touching his familiar's shoulder. _'We will find her soon.'_

Yuugi nodded, willing himself to believe the words his friend spoke.

'_Aibou, we will get her back. It does not matter how much time has passed. The thief will not be able to hold her forever. Shizuka is a child of strong will.'_

"_But…you're certain it was Bakura-san who kidnapped her?'_

'_Of course,'_ the spirit of the ancient Pharaoh replied. _'They have been missing equal lengths of time and you know as well as I that the tomb robber has escaped the shadows before.'_

"_He has, but it makes little sense. What motive would he have for taking Shizuka-chan? And if he has taken her, where would they hide?"_

Yuugi was startled from his thoughts when Otogi flicked on a small television set. He paused a moment, watching a single line of static trail lazily up the screen, distorting the figure pictured there. A man, tall, stood on the steps of white jet, the already warmed engines blowing his chestnut hair about his face. Cerulean eyes fixed coldly upon the camera for a moment before he turned and disappeared inside the plane. A very familiar man…

"—**and Kaiba-san will leave Japan with no explanation, it seems. They length of this trip has not yet been released, but Kaiba-san has placed Kaiba Mokuba in charge of Kaiba Corporations for the period of his absence. The destination of Kaiba-san's trip also remains a mystery, though many have suspected Egypt. Rumors of a relationship between Kaiba Seto and Ishtar Isis have been in circulation since the curator's private invitation for Kaiba-san to visit the Egyptian Exhibit before the Battle City Competition. With any luck, Kaiba-san himself will clear up the rumors upon his return. In other news…"**

Yuugi looked away from the news, cascading back into his mind.

"_Egypt…'_"he murmured. _"Mou Hitori no Boku, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

* * *

_

**To Be Continued…

* * *

**

**Au 1:** Translation: _Mou Hitori no Boku_:-: my other soul

* * *

**A/N: **I hope that you enjoyed the chapter, despite its shortness. It was just a small filler. At any rate, please read and reply, but for a slight request, say something _other _than that you enjoy my fiction. Critiques and construction criticism are now being asked for (unless it's about grammar and spelling, and although I will use spell-check, I don't entire trust it. Again, my beta is out of town or banned from her computer, and this is not my forte). Please, do your part to improve writing.

Lina


	6. Chapter Five: The Plan and the Contest

**To Capture Her Spirit  
By:  
Setalina Muro**

**Summary:** For his entire existence, the Thief King had sought to kill the Pharaoh. Now, seeking revenge, he kidnaps Kawai Shizuka and falls in love with her, plunging himself into ancient memories about a woman he lost three millennia ago… BxSxK TBxKxPS

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any places, people and/or other things you are familiar with from the show or anything else. The plot, however, is mine.

**A/N: ** Hmm… "Hey Lina, took you long enough, no?" yeah…just read. There's a poor excuse later.

* * *

**Chapter Five**

**The Plan and the Contest**

* * *

Honestly, it was an unpleasant situation to wake up in. As Shizuka opened her eyes it took her a moment to register the strange sounds that assaulted her ears. The first was the loud clatter of pots and the second, a voice (Bakura, she could only assume) swearing between Japanese and another, unfamiliar language. She sat up slowly, stretching her arms high above her head, wondering for a brief instant why she was laying on the couch (not even recalling the reason she was even taking the pleasant little 'nap' in the first place) as she continued to give ear to Bakura's unfathomable curses against the offending items. 

Turning, she spotted him in the kitchen, frantically toying with something burning on the stove. A moment later, whatever the thief had been trying to concoct sputtered to life with a tall spurt of fire. He jumped back instantly, singed by the heat, before he began to ruthlessly attack the small blaze with a kitchen towel. Fruitlessly, the towel only caught flame and Bakura dropped it, stomping angrily. Damn it…out of all the lessons his grandmother had given him, why the hell wasn't cooking one of them?

By this time, Shizuka was beside him, a small red bottle of CO2 in her hands. She wished she could call herself an expert on such equipment, but even with a few experiments by Jounouchi in which it had been required, the results of using the dousing chemicals promised nothing more than for the fire to be out.

She pulled the pin and let lose the chemical warfare. It suffocated the fire immediately, but Shizuka had lost control of the extinguisher, and soon, most of the kitchen (including its two occupants) was covered in thick white foam.

Bakura coughed slightly (the foam bringing about an impression of his true age) and unceremoniously, a dollop toppled from his head. Shizuka snickered and he narrowed his eyes at her, shivering slightly from the cold compressed carbon dioxide. But the reaction of the scowling thief did not serve to end her euphoria, but encourage it. He watched her with a disapproving stare, his mouth a straight line. Eventually, it turned up slightly at the corners, and he raised his hands to cover the small smile that spread until he joined her with a small chuckle of his own.

"Never again," he swore. "Never again!"

Shizuka's sweet laughter rang still as she doubled at the waist, clutching her sides.

"Never again indeed, Bakura-san! You're a horrible cook! Out of the kitchen!"

A look of mock hurt flashed across his face, but as he observed the area a small smirk replaced it. "If you insist, Shizuka-chan," he laughed, moving for his own room with every intention of leaving the young girl to clean the slowly dissipating foam.

A frown crossed her faced as she glanced around. "Bakura-san," she yelled. "If you step out of that room, you will help me clean this up!"

"I have no intention of coming out," he replied in as much of a singsong voice as he could muster.

Silence fell but still Shizuka's eyes glared darkly at the far wall. Her thoughts traveled again to what she would give to be free of him.

A sigh escaped her lips as she sat down in a nearby chair. What could she do? Honestly, she felt like crying. Was there really any way out of this horrible place?

The only answer that came to her was the Sennen Ring, the device that Bakura used to enter and exit the place. There were no doors, Shizuka knew, and she was too frightened to even attempt an escape through the windows, unsure of how Bakura had secured them to entrap her. Yes, it seemed the Ring was the only solution but…

Shizuka shuddered as thoughts of the darkness that constantly plagued her dreams came to her. The very idea of stepping through the portal that seemed to separate two parts of a world shook her soul. She looked at her hands, the image of them gradually slipping away into a darkened void drifting into her mind.

Chasing the thoughts away, Shizuka shivered and stared at her hands, watching as she flexed them to prove they were still there. Several thin white scars played the light, wounds from long ago glass…

Another doubt pressed her. The image of Bakura, silver hair cascading down his back and in front of his face as he gently probed her bloodied hands, resurfaced in her mind's eyes. There was kindness then…

But the ritual came next, the blood and flame still vividly etched in her thoughts. It made her feel ill suddenly and somehow she knew, vain as it sounded, the scar he bled in his host's flesh pertained to her. Obsession…too long, she knew. Far too long.

Rising, she began to clean the foam, still plagued by the question:_ How did she get out of this?_

* * *

Hours passed. The kitchen was cleaned, a small meal prepared, and Shizuka sat, visibly racked by nerves at what she feared might transpire. 

It was a simple meal and Bakura did not notice that she didn't eat or the quiver in her hands.

"That was good, Shizuka-chan," he said, swiping a toothpick from the center of the table settings and peering at her. "What's the matter?"

She took a deep breath before looking at him. "I…I want to go home, Bakura-san," she stated softly.

He merely chuckled darkly and tilted his chair back, balancing it on two legs. "I do believe we've been over this before. I can't let you leave." He shrugged, grinning. "Completely impossible."

"You mean you won't," Shizuka retorted, her voice angry. She was quivering still, her hands contorting the napkin in her lap as her irritation swelled. "There is no reason to keep me here."

"Nonsense," he guffawed in reply. "The meal was _delicious._"

Shizuka slammed her hands onto the table, her chair falling backwards as she leapt indignantly to her feet. Bakura started slightly at her actions, his face losing humor as his eyes narrowed slightly.

"You're such a bastard!" she screamed at him, angry tears blazing in her eyes.

The narrowed redwood orbs flashed angrily for a moment. "You know," he said matter-of-factly, his voice a mask of calm. The mahogany chair became earth-bound again and he rested his elbows on the table, peering at her over his pale clasped hands. "In Ancient Egypt women could be killed for speaking to a man that way."

"I am not your property!" she cried. "We aren't even in Egypt and even then you couldn't have been anything more than a second-rate disturber of the dead!"

He moved quick; far quicker than Shizuka had anticipated. The chair spilled to the floor as he rose in a fury, his hand falling sharply across her pale cheek, the sound striking a resonate tone in the room. The blow leveled her to the floor.

"You wretch," he spat at her, shaking with anger. "You miserable filthy little _cur_. I was the _King_ of thieves. Do you want to know how I got this?" he yelled, shaking the golden pendant from around his neck at her. "I stole it from a priest I killed. Not even a person under the service of the Pharaoh could stop me! Not one person ever defeated me!"

"Except the Pharaoh," Shizuka said icily. "That's why you hate him so much." She sat up, clutching her face, an intense hatred burning in her eyes. "And I will defeat you as well."

"_You?_" he scoffed. "You couldn't even remotely challenge me."

"I'm challenging you right now."

"In_what?_"

She rose carefully to her feet, pulling herself up to her greatest height. "You once offered me a contest, Bakura-san."

He seemed slightly taken aback. "What _are_ you talking about?"

"A competition," she iterated. "You and me. And if I win I get to go home."

"And what kind of contest do you propose?" Bakura's anger has obviously transformed into mirth somewhere along the way as he mocked her.

"Tomb robbing."

The thief began to laugh darkly, throwing back his head in amusement. "Oh, this is grand," he said. "You, who have never so much as seen a tomb, much less navigated one, plan to beat me?"

Her gaze remained fixed and she nodded, only provoking more laughter from the thief.

"Have it your way then," he chuckled. "Name the stakes, Shizuka-chan."

"If I win, I go free," she said. "You return me to Domino and never bother any of us again."

"Fine," Bakura agreed. "And what do I get when you lose?"

Shizuka shuddered, closing her eyes and taking a shallow breath before meeting the mocking gaze once more. "Anything you want," she said between clenched teeth.

He was smirking again and he touched her chin, watching her dark pupils constrict in fear as she swallowed nervously. "Then we have an accord." He held the Ring up, it lightly glowing eerily. "The shadows will host our little tournament, Shizuka-chan. But what shall we search for?"

"This," she said, pulling a small vile made of dark blue crystal from her pocket. The liquid inside splashed softly as she dangled it.

"What is it?" Bakura inquired, eyeing it warily.

Shizuka smiled serenely. "You'll have to win to find out."

He shrugged. "Fine then." He took it in his hand and Shizuka gasped as a dark aura surrounded it and it vanished. "Are we ready to begin?"

Shizuka nodded, closing her eyes as the darkness enveloped the pair. Her breathing was shallow as she tried to force calm onto herself.

"Look," Bakura ordered.

As she complied, her eyes widened. Surrounding them was a darkened crimson sky traced with hoary clouds. Ebony sand clutched her feet. She felt the scream rising in her throat but forced it down, shivering.

"W-what is this place?" she stuttered out, the cruel wind batting her auburn hair roughly around her shoulders.

"This is what Egypt would have looked like had I won the war."

"It's…horrible," Shizuka whispered.

The thief only smirked. "Now, Shizuka-chan, in reality, there are twelve tombs that can be found dotting this valley. Our game goes like this."

Beneath them, the ground shook and Shizuka cried out, stumbling to catch herself on Bakura who had not moved.

Rising into the sky were several large, obsidian pyramids. A clap of thunder exploded as they contacted and merged. Shizuka clung to Bakura's arm, her legs covered with the dark sand.

"This will be our playing field," Bakura said, his hand sweeping at the dismal sight before him.

Three large, dark shapes spun in the air forebodingly. Four others could barely be seen over the crest of the hill, anchored into the dark sand.

"Your little treasure is hidden. Are we ready to begin?"

Shizuka was still shuddering, but her eyes burned fiercely. "Your Ring," she said.

Bakura started back in confusion. "What?"

"Hide the Ring, too," she reiterated quietly. "Y-you're not allowed to cheat."

His eyes darkened. "You think I lack honor in my trade?"

"No, I think you're conniving."

He glowered at her as he pulled the brown chord over his head.

"Hide it in the pyramids," Shizuka continued. She was shaking, breathless, wondering if her plan would work. By theory, Bakura would be the first to find the vile, but it only served one minor purpose on top of distracting the thief. What Shizuka wanted was the Ring.

He lifted the Ring and began to speak in Egyptian and with a bolt of golden light, it was gone.

"How can I be sure you don't know where it is?" she asked.

He chuckled. "Some things, Shizuka-chan, have wills of their own. The dark energy of the Sennen Ring, and six other items of similar origin, is from ninety-nine souls massacred for their creation. In true reality, their powers hold little sway to do anything but distort objects and twist souls, but here…" He smirked. "…in this world, their evil can take flight."

"You're twisted," she whispered, shying away from him.

"So you could say. Shall we begin?"

She nodded and slowly, he counted to three. On the final count, he took off running in the directions of the black pyramids. Shizuka followed more slowly, watching as Bakura vanished in the distance.

As the first entrance neared, Bakura glanced behind him to check his lead. Her red hair had faded into the darkness. _Marvelous._

Out of all the things he might have suspected of Shizuka, a challenge that tested none of his skills was a surprise. _Tomb robbing_. Who did the girl believe he was anyway?

Cautiously, he observed the entrances that lay before him. Two cryptic stone bridges rose into the air, providing a path to the floating mausoleums and an entranceway stood before him. Any of the three pyramids were prime for holding the vile.

'_And the Ring, too,'_ he thought. _'She's up to something more than just beating me at my own game.'_

He stood for only a moment longer before making the trek up the stairway to his left and crossing the threshold of the pyramid entrance. There was a long hallway in front of him and he began to walk it, his feet making a soft patter on the stone floor. His eyes adjusted more slowly to the darkness than he was used to, but he heard nothing more than the scraping of his own shoes. Soon, the passage widened out into a chamber. Before him lay four doors, each glowing with a faint color down its narrow stretch: blue to his far left, gold to the right of that, purple, and to the extreme right the corridor lay a chilling and empty black door.

A wary eye roamed the room, searching vigilantly for something that resembled a marker of the path. He knew that many tombs had paths marked, not by robbers, but by the very men who had dug them. His gaze rested on the flickering torch mounted upon the wall. The flame was oddly colored, not the roaring orange or red of a fire in the natural realm, but a deep violet instead. He lifted it from its pedestal and cast a glance around. It was a solitary marker, but he would follow it nonetheless. His trail led him down the pathway lighted with a purple sheen.

* * *

The sprint across the desert had fatigued her and stolen her breath. As she gasped for air, she watched Bakura enter the pyramid that lay to the left of her, mounted high in the sky. She took to the stairs, completely winded by the time she reached the doorway. She looked inside it, feeling a shiver race down her spine. But with her heart still pounding loudly in her ears, she forced herself to her full height and entered. 

The empty hallway loomed before her and her first hesitant step echoed loudly. She started back, freezing for a moment before regaining her composure. Visibility was impossible here and her hand instinctively groped for a wall. She shuddered as her fingertips brushed the cold surface.

Moving down the channel took far less time than she had thought it would as she suddenly spilled out into a dimly lit room. What light there was came from four passages. The golden light beckoned her with its warm and friendly rays. Its gleam was reminiscent of the sun for her. She missed the sun. She lifted her face to it, smiling softly and journeyed in. Three steps further and a door slammed behind her, the inviting light vanishing like a smothered flame.

Shizuka turned, a scream clawing at her throat as she faced the empty wall where, not moments before, her exit had stood. Moving back she scanned its surface, hands tracing the solid rock. She felt the panic well up within her and she struck the wall desperately with her fist. The small, sharp pain that accompanied a few drops of blood on her knuckle was enough to force calm on her again. After moment, she turned away from the blocked exit, a new determination on her face as she moved toward where a path appeared to lie.

* * *

The sound of rock slamming into place started him as it echoed faintly down the hallway. The dim purple flame was still clutched in his hand as he pulled closer to the wall. The thief stood completely still, holding his breath. There was little way of discerning where the sound had come from, but a vague speculation led him to believe that Shizuka was in the pyramid. 

The purple light around him had slowly dimmed as he traveled and the only light was the pale torch. He waited until the echo had faded from the cavern before stepping again.

The hallway ahead had begun to glow softly again, this time as a pale, aqua-blue color. He took a right turn and landed in a rounded alcove, its walls covered in glowing crystals.

There was a miniscule click behind him suddenly and Bakura dove into the recesses of the cave as the entrance collapsed. He swore loudly as the dust settled, eyeing the pile of rubble that had taken the place of the exit.

Eyes narrowed as he glanced around. The Ring had certainly concocted a_fantastic_ maze, he mused. But there had to be a way out of it. He let the purple torch fall from his hand as he stepped cautiously into the cave.

The florescent glow was more than enough to see by as he crept along the chamber. Eventually, he found a small black hole tucked away behind a pile of rocks. His nose wrinkled in distaste as he eyed it. True, his form was slimmer than it had been three thousand years ago, but it would still be a close fit.

He grunted as he dove into it, feeling the way before him. The walls were smooth, worn unnaturally flat as the tunnel angled downwards before moving back toward the exit that had become blocked. He slid across it on his stomach, fuming silently for quite a while until, suddenly, the floor dropped out beneath him. With a strangled growl he landed on his hands and knees, rolling and springing to his feet in the next moment. His hand traveled habitually to his side, searching for a dagger that was not there. He chuckled softly to himself as his fingers clenched around air, but the defensive stance remained.

The air around him did not stir and everything was silent. After a few minutes, he relaxed slightly and began to creep forward. The room was glowing faintly with pale light; much light the crystal room somewhere above him. A corridor lay before him and he moved into it. He paused for a moment, holding his breath as he tried to identify the sound he heard. The soft patter of footsteps came to his ears.

"Damn…" he hissed.

Somehow, Shizuka was ahead of him.

* * *

She took the straightest path she could find in the darkness and took it quickly, ignoring the blind panic that was surging her. She had known the darkness once before and had never wanted to revisit it. The path had been straight to a point before it suddenly split paths. She went right, her pace quickening when she heard heavy, rushed footfall behind her. Her heart leapt instantly to her throat and she began to move faster. Bakura was shortening what lead she had as they neared what seemed to be a final doorway. The frame of it was coated in gold and small pictures were etched across it. At the end of the long hallways beyond it was a dark sapphire light. 

She didn't have time to pause, but she did. The thief strode past her and his devilish smirk could be seen glimmering brightly.

"There's a rope trap here," he called back to her as he leapt over it. "Don't set it off!"

He slowed to a walk as he neared a vile that held the crystal vile.

Shizuka found herself gazing at the ceiling as she moved down the hallways, chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. A wicked glint caught her eye as she saw the Sennen Ring embedded in a nearby wall, just above her head. She glanced at Bakura, who was moving cautiously to remove the vile, and began to reach for it. Her fingertips groped the empty air as she strained to grasp it. Stretching to her tiptoes she felt her hand catch hold of the brown chord that was looped through it. She came down and stumbled backwards onto the floor with the Ring clutched in between her hands.

Bakura turned to glance at her, the blue vile already in his hand. "I win, Shizuka-chan," he laughed. "Now-" he paused, eyeing her form and the golden Ring she held against her chest. He was silent for a moment, his mouth gaping slightly in disbelief, before his eyes narrowed.

"It…it was never about this vile, was it?" he asked softly.

Shizuka rose hesitantly to her feet and stared at him. "No," she said. "The vile has a purpose."

Suddenly, the tomb that surrounded them began to quiver and rumble and Shizuka was bucked forward into Bakura. The thief stumbled and the vile slipped from his grasp. Shizuka gasped as it struck the floor and fractured into tiny pieces, the liquid inside reacting instantly to the air and becoming a billowing cloud of smoke.

The two began to cough, drowsiness attacking their systems.

"Damn it!" Bakura screamed. "The pyramid is collapsing. Give me the Ring or we'll both die." He cough into his sleeve and slipped down to his knees, one hand clamped firmly around Shizuka's upper arm. "What the hell is in this smoke?"

"Nitrous Oxide," she wheezed. "Sleeping gas."

"Where the _hell_ did you get Nitrous Oxide?"

She forced a sheepish grin before slumping forward against his chest, unconscious. His hand groped for the Sennen Ring but when he found it, Shizuka had not released it. He muttered an incantation drowsily, shaking his head vigorously. The area around them darkened. He held Shizuka closely as the two of them were dropped unceremoniously onto the floor, back among the couches of the warehouse.

In a daze, Bakura rose to his feet and, gathering Shizuka in his arms, stumbled toward her room. He lay her down atop the sheet and made to stand again, but her fingers clutched at his shirt and some incoherent murmur escaped her lips. Bakura couldn't fight the effects of the gas any long and he sank down into the bed. His arms wound around her and a contented smile found his lips as he fell asleep with Shizuka for the first and last time…

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**A/N: **So. My first inclination to offer excuses for the lengthy delay in an update for this fiction. Well frankly, it begins bitterly and a tad angrily (and I'll spare you the rant) but it basically finishes with me hating this chapter. Perhaps not so much the way it turned out this time (because I hated it the first time around, and for those of you not around for the original, Shizuka and Bakura had a drinking contest, which was not only ridiculous, but poorly thought out and scripted.) and I hated it this time around. I'll get to working on the next one soon. I think I'll be able to take them from the computer now and edit them there instead of writing them out again (it was around the seventh or eighth chapter my style began to develop fully). Anyway. There ya go.

Other story notes can be found on my profile.

Lina


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